Andrew Niccol – writer of The Truman Show, and thoughtful, theme-driven director of his own films such as Gattaca and Lord of War – turns to the modern, soulless face of warfare, as currently waged by the US.
What was also conspicuous was the continuing rise of the curator essayist, with unconvincing examples (such as Tate Modern's Altermodern) outweighed by really thoughtful theme shows at the Hayward (including Walking in My Mind), the Wellcome Collection and the Edinburgh Festival, which scattered its show The Enlightenments all over town.
But the brisk format and need for compelling video does not really lend itself to the thoughtful exploration these themes demand.
The latter two – 2013's Buried Alive and this year's Live at Madison Square Garden – are more thoughtful, built around themes rather than scattergun comedy bits.
"Parks" is not an overtly ideological show, but buried within it are thoughtful, complex political themes that extend into the larger world in a way that's rare for modern network shows; today's, unlike their edgier peers from the seventies, tend to build a cozy world, then stay there.
If all you remember is Mad Max 3: Beyond Thunderdome, this type of thoughtful engagement with themes of patriarchy and power in an action franchise might feel out of place.
In the duets Mr. Terzic began with a thoughtful, meditative oud theme, which Ms. Kurosawa picked up and varied expansively, leaving room for his responses and elaborations.
Roberts's stimulating and thoughtful engagement with broad themes was not restricted to his writing.
Sept. 2, 1 25 p.m. | Updated John R. Ehrenfeld, the author of "Sustainability by Design," has posted a thoughtful amplification on the themes in this and the preceding post.
